LeBron James: Pacers are a cocky bunch

INDIANAPOLIS — So here are the Miami Heat back in Indiana. And here are the Indiana Pacers, talking again. To LeBron James, it is all so amusing.

In advance of Tuesday's game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, James noted the cockiness of the Pacers during last season's Eastern Conference semifinals, when Indiana took a 2-1 series lead only to fall in six games, the series ending on the Pacers' home court.

"They took a 2-1 lead and were really excited about what was going on and they were talking a lot," he said. "They felt like they were the better team, we took control of the series."

James said he continued to take note.

"But they've been talking a lot," he said. "I read a lot of clips they had before the season, said they were better than us and they should have beat us, so we'll be ready."

James said such an approach is not his way.

"I'm not one to talk much, honestly," he said. "I just do it on the court. I let my game do the talking, but it is amusing sometimes, you see guys, you see teams talking and they didn't beat you."

He said there is a time and a place.

"I've always kind of been after the fact," he said. "If I hear someone talking, then I will have a conversation with them, or say my peace out on the floor, but I will never start it up.

"My Little League coaches wouldn't allow us to do that. They always told, 'Just let your game do the talking.' "

That didn't stop James from working out in the offseason with Pacers swingman Paul George.

"He's continued to grow," James said. "And with growth also comes confidence. I think the good thing, which is a bad for them, but it's a good for him, is they haven't had Danny Granger. So it's allowed him to grow and kind of fill in that role, the No. 1, or whatever the case may be, a role when he's had more opportunities to showcase what he can do."